Ferritin

Test Overview

A ferritin blood test checks the amount of ferritin in
the blood. Ferritin is a
protein in the body that binds to iron; most of the
iron stored in the body is bound to ferritin. Ferritin is found in the
liver,
spleen, skeletal muscles, and bone marrow. Only a
small amount of ferritin is found in the blood. The amount of ferritin in the
blood shows how much iron is stored in your body.

Why It Is Done

Check to see
if iron treatment to raise or lower the iron level is working.

How To Prepare

You do not need to do anything before
having this test.

How It Is Done

The health professional drawing blood
will:

Wrap an elastic band around your upper arm to
stop the flow of blood. This makes the veins below the band larger so it is
easier to put a needle into the vein.

Clean the needle site with
alcohol.

Put the needle into the vein. More than one needle stick
may be needed.

Attach a tube to the needle to fill it with
blood.

Remove the band from your arm when enough blood is
collected.

Put a gauze pad or cotton ball over the needle site as
the needle is removed.

Put pressure on the site and then put on a
bandage.

How It Feels

The blood sample is taken from a vein in
your arm. An elastic band is wrapped around your upper arm. It may feel tight.
You may feel nothing at all from the needle, or you may feel a quick sting or
pinch.

Risks

There is very little chance of a problem from
having a blood sample taken from a vein.

You may get a small bruise at the site. You
can lower the chance of bruising by keeping pressure on the site for several
minutes.

In rare cases, the vein may become swollen after the
blood sample is taken. This problem is called phlebitis. A warm compress can be
used several times a day to treat this.

Results

A ferritin blood test checks the amount of
ferritin in the blood. Ferritin is a
protein in the body that binds to iron; most of the
iron stored in the body is bound to ferritin. The amount of ferritin found in
the blood is the same amount that is in the body.

Normal

The normal values listed here-called a reference range-are just a guide. These ranges vary from lab to lab, and your lab may have a different range for what's normal. Your lab report should contain the range your lab uses. Also, your doctor will evaluate your results based on your health and other factors. This means that a value that falls outside the normal values listed here may still be normal for you or your lab.

High values

Very high ferritin levels (greater than 1,000
ng/mL) can mean a large buildup of iron in the body (hemochromatosis). One form of this condition is passed
on in families (genetic hemochromatosis). Some diseases, including
alcoholism,
thalassemia, and some types of
anemia that cause red blood cells to be destroyed, can
also cause hemochromatosis. Also, if you have many blood transfusions, this can
sometimes cause the body to store too much iron (acquired
hemochromatosis).

Too much iron in body organs, such as the pancreas or heart,
can affect how the organ works.

Low values

Low ferritin levels often mean an iron
deficiency is present. This can be caused by long-term (chronic) blood loss
from heavy menstrual bleeding, pregnancy, not enough iron in the diet, or
bleeding inside the intestinal tract (from
ulcers,
colon polyps,
colon cancer,
hemorrhoids, or other conditions). In rare cases, too
much iron may be lost through the skin (because of a disease such as
psoriasis) or in the urine.

What Affects the Test

Reasons you may not be able to
have the test or why the results may not be helpful include:

Having a blood transfusion in the past 4
months.

Being a female athlete whose amount of activity has changed her menstrual cycle.

Having conditions that cause inflammation in the
body, such as from illness or from a surgery.

Having a radioactive
scan in the past 3 days.

Taking medicines, such as birth control
pills and antithyroid medicines.

Age. Older adults may have a
higher ferritin value.

Eating a diet high in red meats.

What To Think About

A ferritin test is often done with other tests
to check the amount of iron in the blood, especially the iron and iron-binding
capacity levels. To learn more, see the topic
Iron (Fe).

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